Whether you're passionate about practicing mindfulness meditations or are simply interested in improving your compassion, self-love, and awareness of the present moment, this page is for you! Join me in my journey of learning about and practicing mindfulness :)

My wonderful aunt (who works at Thriveworks Counseling and Coaching) provides a short practice to forgive your negative thoughts and release negative energy! Take a couple minutes to practices some mindfulness and self love today

A bsmart Woman opens her heart and mind to those around her welcoming feedback.

This past weekend, I spent a lot of time with old friends. My good friend Taylor had her birthday celebration and I got to reconnect and spend quality time with people that I haven’t seen since I’ve been away at school. Laughing and reconnecting with some of my old friends made me realize that I shouldn’t forget to be #open and make time for them.

It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of school and forget how valuable their friendships are to me. So this is just my little reminder to you to keep #openness in mind this weekend, and open your heart to the family and friends around you. Keeping the people that make us feel good close can not only strengthen the bonds we have with others, but make ourselves feel whole and happy too!

I would like to take a minute to share an idea I have been contemplating recently...

I have observed that all people normally have a tendency to behave in two specific ways:

1. People always tend to resist something that is initially unfamiliar to them.
2. People always tend to covet the things that are familiar by default, or the things that become familiar in time.

I think that a lot of creative people are initially afraid to be themselves, to flip the "norms" on their heads to start creating the new "norms." They know that there will be resistance. They know that people will be perplexed. They worry that their story is irrelevant to other peoples'. They wonder if it would be better to just stay quiet.

But at the same time, when an artist sits on their ideas for a while, they start to feel extremely depressed because they feel like they are not "living their truth." (I know this through experience!)

I just finished reading the book The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (highly recommend.) One of the things that the protagonist observes on his journey to find his treasure is that "everything is written by the same hand."

Never think that your story is not relevant. The details may be unfamiliar to others at first, but in life we are all on a journey of discovering and experiencing the same objective truths about the universe.

My advice to you, is to JUST BE YOU. Go through that uncomfortable phase. Allow people's attention to be drawn to you. Keep feeling awkward. Be present in peoples minds. Let people judge. Let people resist you. The more they do so, the more they will be humbled to realize how irresistible your ideas actually are. The more you put yourself out there, the more people will want to be just like you and the bigger mark you will have made on this world.

All of us, at one point are told that we cannot achieve something, and our goals are unattainable. We are surrounded by people who think little, who try to pull us further apart from our goals and we all are the products of that environment. So, what should one do when they feel down, and a sense of hopelessness engulfs them?

Yes, my dear ladies, have a strong belief in yourself! Success begins when you have the strength to believe in yourself, in your convictions and stand up for them. To keep moving forward even when the winds howl in the other direction. I have listed three easy methods to think BIG and believe in yourself.

1. First and foremost, give yourself a pep talk multiple times throughout the day.
When you wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and say, “I am an awesome person and I am going to have a wonderful day.” This would raise your confidence and belief. Do not let petty matters pull you down.
2. Dump excuses and fear
Excuses and procrastination are born from fear. Take action to cure fear.
3. Finally, set some time for mediating on your results.
Even after a disastrous result, set some time to introspect yourself and your work. Have the courage and strength to be your own critic and realize the good in every situation.

Remember, no one can put you down except for yourself. The answer is quite easy; Simply believe in yourself! That is as good as winning half the battle.
Was there any time when believing in yourself helped you?
If yes, do share! We would love to know more.Do let us know if you would like a mini-blog series on the above described methods.

California girl turned Lady of London, Marissa Hermer is a restaurateur, mother to Max and Jake, and wife to Matt Hermer - owner of Boujis, Bumpkin, and Eclipse - several of the hottest restaurants and clubs in London. After working in New York City as a publicist for fashion, luxury restaurants, and nightclub brands, Marissa is applying her knowledge and passion for locally sourced ingredients and free-range, grass fed meat at her London Soho restaurant, Top Dog. In 2014, Marissa took on the role of cast member joining Bravo’s reality television show Ladies of London. Find out how she balances business, motherhood, marriage, and reality TV, her passion for serving locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, and how she's growing a business while growing a family.

Hi Mindful Living Gals!
I don't know about you but I'm always looking to find new ways to build my meditation practice (and finding new ways that it pays off)! My article about tips for building to an hour long meditation is up now - feel free to check it out and share your own tips -- I'd love to learn from you too!

When we accept ourselves for who we are and stop comparing ourselves to those around us, we allow room for self love and self growth. There is nothing more beautiful or more rewarding than being 100% yourself. What are three things that you love about yourself? Comment below and tag a friend!

Vision: A bSmart woman understands that leadership begins with a clear vision for herself and others.

As women, we are often discouraged from having specific career and lifestyle goals (by society and subsequently by our peers and ourselves)

Create a mission statement for yourself, and don’t shy away from dreaming big, recognizing your full potential, and being specific.

Some example statements to get you started:
- I’m at my best when…
- My goal in life is to pursue…
- My strengths are...
- I will find opportunities to use my natural talents and gifts by…
- I am inspired by…
- The 3 most important values in my life are…
- As an ideal friend/ family member/ co-worker/ citizen of the earth I want to…

My mission is to pursue editing, writing, and marketing by building a strong network, dedicating my time and energy to every job and opportunity, and working my way up so that I can work for a successful magazine or editorial company. I’m at my best when I practice self care, stay organized, am doing something I enjoy, and have a supportive social circle. I would like to pursue entrepreneurship, help others (especially in the mental health realm), and be supportive, compassionate, and generous to friends, family, and others in my environment.

Take care of yourself and get a good night of sleep!
I've found ASMR to be similar to mindfulness in many ways; a lot of videos are guided relaxation or meditation-based, the purpose is to calm you down, and leaders of the community are welcoming and kind.

In today’s world, it’s so easy to stop thinking and follow the millions of voices of our society, media, and even of our families and friends. We disregard our thoughts and feelings, pushing them to the back of our consciousness.

Recently, I’ve been trying to make self-reflection an everyday part of my life, and I’ve realized a lot about myself that I would’ve have if I didn’t stop and think about it. We are so influenced by other people that we unconsciously allow them to control our lives, telling us what we can do and what we can’t do. We can take control of our lives by incorporating mindfulness in our lives.

Therefore, I encourage you to take this time to reflect on your thoughts and feelings. Simplify them and make them clear. Even though it’s hard, try to disregard outside forces that tend to disrupt your personal thinking! It could be about anything: your future career, how you feel about where you are in life right now, or even your next vacation destination. Share in the comments below and feel free to tag as many other bSmart members as you’d like!

Emotional Intelligence: A bSmart woman seeks to understand another's past to advocate for their future

In order to support and empower one another, we need to actively hear the voices of the women around us and acknowledge that we come from different backgrounds and are comprised of unique identities.

This core value particularly resonates with me as a mindfulness tactic; if we are mindful of others' identities, we can more easily spread kindness and compassion.

Activist and feminist icon Audre Lorde’s intersectional approach to identities recognizes that we are never defined by one identity, but are simultaneously all of our identities at once; our identities are constantly overlapping like an intricate venn diagram. At the same time, some of our identities come to the forefront depending on changing situations and contexts.

Consider: How have these identities shaped you and socialized you to be who you are today? If you were not socialized according to these identities, would you be different?

For me, I consider my female gender, Midwestern upbringing and values, and educational status (recent obtainment of a Bachelor’s degree) most prevalent in my current situation, especially as I am a Michigander in NYC!
If I were not all three of these things and many more, I may not have pursued a degree in psychology (a largely female-driven major) at the University of Michigan (an in-state school for me).

I'm working on an article about the benefits of meditation and how to begin. I've practiced Zen meditation for the past three years, but would love to know more about your experiences! Please let me know how you practice it, how you began, the impacts it's had, and what obstacles you've had to overcome in your practice! Looking forward to learning from you gals!

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I have always thought the social media platforms that we use have had the potential to start a new conversation when it has come to empowering women. But rather than using these platforms for good we usually use them as a way to compare ourselves to one another. In an effort to change the conversation I want you to help me create an empowerment chain, it’s easy! Just comment below something that you like about yourself or tag a friend and comment something you like about them.

Hey mindful living ladies! I posted on the general stream but thought I would also share in this group as well since we all care about making an effort to live a mindful life. What are some ways you make time for yourself when you need some “me time” or need to take a mindful minute to yourself during a stressful situation? I personally love to listen to music and/or do a face mask at night when I need to take time for myself to de-stress. Comment your tips below and feel free to tag other women you feel could benefit from these tips!

'As active members of our society, we need to consider how we perceive marijuana and the people who use it.' - bSmart member Sara Klimek shares key details regarding the fight for marijuana legalization and importance of including more voices in its discussion.

Hello Mindful Living babes! I hope everyone is having a lovely Tuesday
I have been thinking a lot about Loving- Kindness (Metta) meditation lately; I've missed hearing this meditation mantra since my mindfulness seminar ended. This phrase is repeated according to all the relationship circles in your life, starting with yourself, then to someone meaningful to you, someone who is suffering, a stranger, someone you are struggling with or angry towards, and finally to all the beings in the world.
One of the most valuable things I learned from this practice is if you can't forgive or send kindness to a difficult person, send love back to yourself because you are ultimately the one suffering/ hurting.

I'm considering broadening the subject of this page to include more posts about self-care and mental health (as well as mindfulness)... I've been tempted to post about mindfulness in a broader, more every day sense so that more women can benefit from this page

I hope everyone had a relaxing long weekend! When I have a busy mind and/or stressful day, I find that going on walks, jotting down my worries/ thoughts, and watching Netflix are particularly helpful in relaxing my mind. What are some of your self care techniques?